Biotechnology: A tool towards a more sustainable potato production? Dr. ir. Bart Van Droogenbroeck st September 1 2015 Kick-Off Potato Europe, Doornik ILVO Content 1. Introduction – Biotechnology? GMO? – GM Crops 2. Challenges in potato production – Potato diseases – Processing – Quality - Health 3. Recent biotech developments − Disease resistance : Late blight , nematodes, PVY… − Combination of multiple traits 4. Conclusions ILVO 1. INTRO - BIOTECHNOLOGY? Definitions - basics ILVO Biotechnology? A definition Biotechnology studies and makes use of bacteria, plants, animals or other living organisms, or parts of it, to alter or produce food, materials, pharmaceuticals or other products of interest. ​​​​​​​Initially classical biotechnology used traditional methods to use plants and animals to produce products and use bacteria, yeast and fungi to produce e.g. bread, wine, cheese, beer Modern biotechnology goes beyond these methods: it applies the knowledge about characteristics of bacteria, plants and animals for the production of useful products by changing the DNA, the code of all genetic information. ILVO GMO? • GMO= Genetically Modified Organism • European definition of a ‘GMO’ , according to Dir 2001/18/EC: “… means an organism, with the exception of human beings, in which the genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination …” Genetic material = DNA ILVO Modern biotech = DNA ILVO DNA Protein The genes in our DNA encode for proteins - Proteins execute all processes in cells/tissues off living organisms - Proteins are built with AA, 20 different ones - Genetic code determines which protein is encoded ILVO Biotechnology? Examples of some fundamental techniques 1. Cutting and pasting DNA (1972) Using enzymes as scissors (= restriction-enzymes) and paste (= ligases) ILVO Biotechnology? Examples of some fundamental techniques 1. Cutting and pasting DNA (1972) ILVO development of the first GMO, a GM bacteria Biotechnology? Examples of some fundamental techniques 1. Cutting & pasting DNA (1972) 2. Reading DNA = sequencing (1977) 3. Amplification of DNA (1980) Using enzyme (polymerase) to copy DNA ILVO Biotech Evolution 1982: First biotech medicin, insuline, produced by GM bacteria 1983: First GM plant, Gent, Prof. Van Montagu 1994: First GM tomato on the market, VS, FlavrSavr 2012: First commercial gene therapy (cancer) 2015: Synthetic biology – R&D ‘assembly’ of organisms ILVO 1. INTRO – GM CROPS Methods & Global developments ILVO How are GM crops made? both methods result in the random insertion of the DNA of interest ILVO in the host its genome = selection & characterisation of transformants needed How are GM crops made? Anno 2015: New Breeding Technologies Fast evolution – recently developed methods: • Cisgenesis • Oligonucleotide Directed Mutagenesis (ODM) • Zinc Finger Nuclease Technology • Grafting • Agro-infiltration • RNA-dependent DNA methylation (RdDM) • Reverse breeding • Synthetic genomics More sophisticated: • Allow integration in genome at a specific site • Specific, targeted changes possible - down to 1 bp changes! Hard or impossible to discriminate new genetically ILVO engineered organisms from wild type organisms Example of a recently developed method Oligonucleotide Directed Mutagenesis ILVO www.cibus.com Three generations of GM crops First generation: • Food crops– ‘input traits’ – advantages for growers • GM crops in field today (>180 mio ha, 18 mio farmers, 28 countries) • Typical examples: – ‘Bt’ crops - insect-resistance - Corn, cotton, eggplant … – ‘Roundup Ready’ crops - herbicide tolerance - soy, corn, sugarbeet ILVO First generation GM crops Mio Hectare http://www.isaaa.org 19 consecutive years of growth Since 2011 faster growth in developing world ILVO Important crops: soybean, maize, cotton, canola First generation GM crops Mio Hectare http://www.isaaa.org Most important trait = herbicide tolerance Increase of GM crops with combined traits ILVO First generation GM crops http://www.isaaa.org Production mainly in N&S-America and Asia Negligible in EU: 1 crop = 100.000 ha insect-resistant corn (Spanje, ILVO Portugal, Tsjechië, Roemenië & Slovakije) Three generations of GM crops First generation GM Potato products: • Bt Potato – resistant to potato beetle (1995) • Potato resistant to beetle + Potato Leaf Roll Virus (PLRV) - (1998) • Potato resistant to beetle + PLRV + Potato Virus Y (PVY) – (1999) All GE potato varieties were discontinued by the developer in March of 2001 and since ILVO have not been sold to farmers for planting Three generations of GM crops Second generation: • Food & non-food crops– output traits, advantage for grower/processor/consumer • Typical example : – ‘golden rice’ with increased vitA content – R&D phase ILVO http://irri.org/golden-rice/faqs/what-is-the-status-of-the-golden-rice-project-coordinated-by-irri Three generations of GM crops Second generation GM Potato products: • Amflora Potato – with altered starch composition, resulting in improved processing characteristics ILVO BASF withdrew the product in 2012, citing opposition to the technology Three generations of GM crops Third generation : • Molecular Farming = the production of valuable proteins in crops specifically designed for this goal = plant as bioreactor • Food/non-food crops – focus on advantages for consumer/patients • No potato derived products on the market • First commercial products on market – lot of R&D – Therapeutic protein produced in cultures of carrot cells = cheaper www.protalix.com ILVO 2. CHALLENGES POTATO PRODUCTION ILVO Challenges Potato production According to 2015 Beijing World Potato congress: • Potato Mechanization • Water use • Integrated crop managment • Disease resistance • Varietal development • Storage and processing quality • Innovation in process & product development ILVO Challenge (1) - Disease resistance • Late blight is biggest problem • Virus resistance: PVX, PVY, PLRV, … • Fungal resistance: Alternaria, … • Nematode resistance: potato cyst nematode, … ILVO Impact of late blight on Belgian potato production • Caused by fungus Phytophthora infestans • More virulent strains appearing since ’80 • 12-15 fungicide applications/season (up to 20 in wet season) • Economic loss in Belgium ≈ 55 mio euro – Fungicide applications – Yield and storage loss ILVO Resistant varieties are best solution >20 R-genes known from wild relatives in Mexico, Andes R&D projects in WUR (The Netherlands), TSL and JHI (UK), CRA-W (Belgium), CIP (Peru)… ILVO Late blight resistance in potato Qualitative resistance based on gene-for-gene interaction Phytophthora has avr genes Potato has/has not R genes Combination of multiple R-genes is necessary to obtain sustainable LB resistance ILVO Resistant varieties are best solution • R-genes can be introduced in two ways : Via conventional breeding • Crossing between two plants • Selection on trait(s) of interest in offspring Via GM approach ILVO Conventional breeding takes time… ~ 45 years Single R- gene introduction ILVO Why GM approach? Biotech allows faster and more targeted ILVO improvement of crops GM approach is fast & targeted • Introduction resistance in one step • Preserves all other variety characteristics • Introduction of multiple (R-)genes at the same time is possible ILVO 3. RECENT BIOTECH DEVELOPMENTS Disease resistance & combination of multiple traits ILVO Late blight resistance in potato Important projects (1) 1. DurPh project (WUR-Netherlands; 2006-2016): Durable Resistance against Phytophthora through cisgenic marker-free modification – Cisgenic LB resistant Desirée potato development – Classical and molecular breeding – interaction with conventional and organic sector 2. Gerephyti project (CRA-W, Belgium; 2013-2016): Improving and managing potato resistance to Phytophthora infestans in order to develop ecologically intensive agriculture – Classical and molecular breeding approach – R-gene discovery – Cisgenic LB resistant potato development + 3. Field trial Wetteren & Bintje project (UGent-VIB-ILVO; 2010-2019) – Collaboration with DuRPh project – Cisgenic approach to develop multiple R-gene LB resistant Bintje potatoes Visit ILVO booth at Potato Europe for more info ILVO Late blight resistance in potato Important projects (2) 4. Company project BASF (Germany; …-2012): Development of Fortuna potato – Transgenic LB resistance with two R-genes in Fontane – Regulatory approval dossier submitted 2011 – withdrawn 2012 5. Company project Simplot (US; 2010-…): Development of Innate potatoes – Cisgenic LB resistance Russet Burbank – Combining multiple traits 6. TSL Potato Partnership Project (UK-US; 2015-2019) – Multiple partners, incl. Simplot (US) – GM approach for LB resistance in Maris Piper potatoes – Combining multiple traits ILVO Why cisgenic? • Cisgenic (vs. transgenic) = only DNA from crossable relatives ~= conventional breeding EFSA Opinion 2012: “…similar hazards can be associated with cisgenic and conventionally bred plants, while novel hazards can be associated with intragenic and transgenic plants.” ‘Higher’ public acceptance ILVO FIELD TRIAL WETTEREN & BINTJE+ ILVO Potatoes in the Wetteren Trial (2011-2012) Wageningen UR – DuRPh: in Desirée background: – sto1 R-gene lines (> S. stoloniferum) – vnt1.1 R-gene lines (> S. venturii) – sto1 + vnt1.1. + blb3 R-genen lines (> S. bulbocastanum) ‘Fortuna’ (BASF): − blb1 +blb2 R- genes (> S. bulbocastanum) WT Desirée and other reference varieties ILVO Trial set up (2011-2012) = Maize = Nicola ILVO = Bintje Field trial Wetteren